A Taste of Heaven

There have been several books and movies recently about people who have claimed to have visited heaven (usually through a near death experience). Some have admitted that their stories were made up, for example the young man portrayed in the best-selling book “The Boy Who Went to Heaven” recently said “I did not die. I did not go to Heaven. I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. When I made the claims that I did, I had never read the Bible. People have profited from lies, and continue to. They should read the Bible, which is enough. The Bible is the only source of truth. Anything written by man cannot be infallible.”

In this week’s passage, three men have heaven come down to them as they see the transfigured Christ in His glory, along with Moses and Elijah who represent the Law and the Prophets of old. Why does Jesus temporarily lift the veil of His glory? Why does He include only three of His disciples? How does this amazing passage speak to us today?

The Cost of Discipleship

Last week we reached a climax in Luke’s gospel as Peter recognizes Jesus’ identity as the Christ. Jesus then shocks His disciples as he explains what it means for Him to be the Messiah – that He must suffer, be rejected and be killed.

In this week’s passage Jesus declares that those who want to be His disciples must walk in His steps of suffering, rejection and death. Sadly, many Christian leaders in our day fail to explain the demands of discipleship, thus leaving their followers unprepared for the suffering they will most certainly encounter. Those who wish to follow Jesus must disavow and die to self.

May God help us to take Jesus’ words seriously and to be true disciples.

Jesus’ Identity and Mission

This week we (finally) are back in Luke and we have come to a climactic passage in which Jesus’s disciples finally recognize His identity as the Christ (Messiah). This wonderful acknowledgement is followed by our Lord revealing just what it means for Him to be the Christ (His suffering, death and resurrection) and what it will mean to be His followers (taking up your cross).

The most important questions mankind face in our day are addressed in this passage – Who is Jesus? Why did He come? What does it mean to follow Him? Jesus is the central figure in human history. People have many different ideas about Him. Scripture records the authoritative answers on which we stake our lives.

You might want to review Luke 1:1-9:22 before listening to this sermon.

From Fear to Faith

We all know we need more faith, especially in hard times. But how can we increase our faith? How can we have peace?

The prophet Habakkuk has wrestled with the mystery of God’s ways. He has questioned how God could tolerate the evil in Judah. And then when the Lord replied that He was sending the Babylonians to correct His people by bringing death and destruction, Habakkuk questions how God could allow the Babylonians, who are more wicked than those in Judah, to triumph. The Lord answers that the Babylonians will be crushed when He is done with them, but in the meantime His righteous ones will live by faith (2:4).

The final chapter of Habakkuk is the prophet’s prayer. While the unpleasant circumstances of his life have not changed, his heart has changed. No longer does he argue or question God’s ways. Instead he prays for God to revive His work among His people; he remembers God’s great acts and promises; and he humbly entrusts Himself to God. We too need to learn to pray, to remember, and to trust when times are hard.

The Wicked Will Perish in their Unbelief

Last Sunday we explored Habakkuk’s famous and important statement in 2:4 that “the just shall live by faith.” This week we will learn about the judgment God brings upon those who are unjust and arrogant.

In 2:4, the Lord, through Habakkuk contrasts the just humble man with the proud greedy man. The Lord continues in 2:6-20 with a description of five woes which will come upon those who wickedly do evil and oppose God. This answers Habakkuk’s question of how the wicked Babylonians could be allowed to defeat the Israelites (who aren’t as bad).

God’s most popular attributes include His love, His holiness and His grace. When we see the evil in the world (violent crimes, terrorism, etc.), we find comfort (as Habakkuk would have) in His justice.